Obviously, the initial focus will be adventures that come out and support the OpenQuest 3rd edition, and when I release them they will come bundled with the latest playtest version of OpenQuest 3, but the patreon will go on beyond the release of OpenQuest 3 (which will get its own Kickstarter later in the year). Also if I get enough support I will commission other authors to write adventures. I’ve already got Paul Mitchener (Crucible of Dragons, Age of Arthur, Liminal) lined up to do an updated version of “Non Semper Erit Aestas”, his adventure set in the Roman Empire just after the death of Nero as well as some adventures set in his Clockwork Palace setting

Slowly but surely plans are being laid and turned into action to bring OpenQuest back to life. A Kickstarted new edition of the rules, and an ongoing Patreon to support the release of new and revised adventures.

I’m currently working on OpenQuest 3rd Edition, in preparation of a Kickstarter to be launched in Aug/Sept to tie in with its 10 year anniversary. It’s not as a radical revision of the system that I thought it would be at one stage but its enough to call it 3rd Edition.
Highlights so far:

Combat now has systems for Social (new) and Magic (revised spirit combat)

Combat order now based on highest modified skill.

Magic just one system (Sorcerers and Priests just become specialist caster types, but everyone uses one common magic list, spend magic points).

New rules for Organisations which replaces the cult rules and extend to guilds and less magical organisation.

I want a system that can support lots of new funky fantasy adventures (and other genres) that’s simple yet mega-fun to play but has a few more modern standards built into it.

As well as the Kickstarter there will be an ongoing Patreon called OpenQuest Adventures, to fund what fans really want ADVENTURES without me having to point out that these are quite risky releases for D100 systems, When I get enough support for the Patreon I will commission other authors to write adventures. I’m putting the pieces in place of this to launch at the beginning of May, and the first release will come bundled with a playtest version of OpenQuest 3rd Ed.

The last thing on my current roadmap is playtesting, which opens up next week. I’ve already done a fair bit of playtesting, the social combat rules got a good run out a couple of months ago at one shot game at Go Play Manchester for example, but this will be the first time I’ve put everything together and see how it flows. A call for open playtesting will happen sometime in early June.

So OpenQuest 3rd edition dates for your diary:

Now: internal playtest begins, watch out for actual play-reports.

Early May: OpenQuest Adventures Patreon opens.

Early June, Public playtest.

Aug/Sept: OpenQuest 3rd Edition Kickstarter to coincide with the 10th Anniversary of the game’s original release.

The year is 1604 and a group of Elizabethan adventurers travel the road from the medieval city Chester to join the employ of Dr John Dee, the famous former court Astrologer know Warden of Christ’s Church College in Manchester. Little do they now that this journey that starts the night before Halloween is fated to be dangerous and full of the supernatural.

The From the Shroud #2 Kickstarter is nearly over, with less than 48 hours to go. Four stretch goals funded which include two additional a5 books (Crypts & Things Black Hacked and The Lost Lands of Grungamesh) and now we are funding a preview version of Paul Mitchener’s Beyond Dread Portals; an A5 version with adventure playable up to 5th Level. This is your chance for as low as £3 (the pdf level) to get a playable sneak peek of this game of fantastic multidimensional exploration.

The zine itself funded on day one, its maxed out size wise due to the successful funding of two stretch goals which add new monsters and strange locations to bring the page count up to about 60 pages

So I added a zine sized (A5 approx 40-50 page) version of Crypts and Things powered by The Black Hack, called Crypts and Things Black Hacked, and guess what?

That’s right, so all backers of the campaign (whose buy-in is as low as £3/$4 for the PDF) get a copy of C&T Black Hacked as well as the From the Shroud #2. That’s two for the price of one!!!

And soon it’s going to be three for the price of one, as we are now funding a stretch goal which gives a new Swords and Sorcery setting in A5 Zine Format for C&T, C&T Black Hacked and other OSR RPGs to all backers. The setting has a more Saturday Morning Cartoons feel than C&T’s default grimdark setting of Zarth, and its sandbox nature means its the ideal accompaniment for C&T Black Hacked.

Welcome to The Lost Lands of Grungamesh!

Note, you won’t be able to get this bundle of zines at this crazy low price once they go on general release. Crypts and Things Black Hacked and Lost Lands will be full priced individual items, and Intro the Shroud won’t even be available in print outside of this Kickstarter.

If you’ve not backed you’ve got 5 days at the time of writing to do so.

It gives me great pleasure to announce Into the Shroud #2, my irregular Crypts and Things fanzine is now live on Kickstarter as part of their ZineQuest,

This issue takes the form of a 48 pages A5 black and white booklet, with black and white art by Jonny Gray (whose Death Rider graces the cover) and Dan Barker.

The contents are as follows:

My Dirty Little Secret. A quick table of dark secrets that player characters can have, and probably wish they hadn’t, at character generation.

The Pie Makers of Peoplolis. An adventure location in the Zarth’s City of Beggars (although they may have a franchise near you).

A Strange Thing Happened on the Way to the Ruins. An encounter table of weird and wonderful non-player characters to liven up otherwise dull and humdrum journeys.

The Place of Dark Hooks. The old lair of a foul Court Torturer, whose riches and secrets are said to lie in its depths. A full Crypts and Things mini-module, usable with any early edition D&D game even, 5th Edition pretty much as written.

All Hail the Death Riders. They are death from above with these flying undead warriors, a new monster for the game.

Prince of Rona. A demonic Prince of an Other World, fit to become the character’s latest Nemesis.

Varna’s Travelling Caravan. Neil Shaw details this group of travelling merchants who deal with the mysterious and harbour a dark secret.

Also available if you missed it the first time around is issue 1, in pdf and print. Note both issues won’t be available in print after the KS via my normal outlets.

Also, there’s a chance to get the main Crypts and Things rulebook and the released adventures at a deep discount as add-ons.

I’ve finished The Road to Hell, it’s currently undergoing a final check with its proofreader, and I anticipate it will be out later this week, early next week to backers.

If you missed the Kickstarter and want the chance to win a copy sign up to our new newsletter by Jan 31st and you’ll be entered into a draw. If you don’t fancy a copy of it, you can choose any of D101’s published books (including the two other books that are coming out very soon).